TEC Edmonton

Alberta's Business Plan Competition

The VenturePrize competition is designed for individuals, companies, faculty and students of post secondary institutions who have high-growth business ideas. This competition is designed to get you thinking and moving towards realizing your dreams.

Through seminars, tools, templates, mentorship (where available) and business plan feedback, VenturePrize will help you transform your idea into a solid plan for growth!

Create the ultimate business plan and you could win. Over $150,000 in prizes to be shared among finalists in the two categories. Prizes include cash and in-kind support such as prototype development, marketing, legal and accounting services.

Eligibility Criteria

GENERAL ELIGIBILITY

Criteria for participating in VenturePrize includes the following:

• The individual, team, or company has a feasible, high-growth business concept;
• The individual or at least one team member lives, works, or attends school in Alberta;and
• The individual or any team member has not won cash and/or prizes as a finalist in a previous VenturePrize competition.

Fast-Growth Enterprise Award Category has the following eligibility criteria:

• New or existing businesses are eligible
• An existing business conducts the majority of its operations in Alberta;has less than 20 full-time employees; has less than $1 Million in annual revenues; and has less than $2 million in capitalization; and
• has not previously received awards as a VenturePrize finalist.

Student Business Plan Competition has the following eligibility criteria:

• For all full and part-time students and faculty of post-secondary institutions with high-growth and innovative business ideas.
• Must be registered in one of the two following programs:

Northern Alberta competition (CEFE) www.bus.ualberta.ca/entrepreneurship and the Southern Alberta competition Student Technology and Innovation Competition (STIC) www.stic.ca

The top three business plans as selected from the competitions noted above will compete in the VenturePrize Student category for $10,000 in prizes (cash and in-kind services).

Deadline
Registration for the VenturePrize Fast Growth Competition is OPEN. The submission deadline is February 24, 2011 by 4:00 p.m.

THE COMPETITION

A panel of blue-ribbon judges, consisting of business and financing professionals, will evaluate the business plans. Every business plan submitted receives professional feedback. Judges will look for business ideas that are high-growth, feasible and that are clearly articulated.

BENEFITS INCLUDE:

• Six seminars focused on business planning are organized and facilitated by the School of Business at the University of Alberta and available at various locations across Alberta.
• Mentoring will be available at some locations
• Professional feedback report given on all business plans submitted
• Affordable participation

VenturePrize Registration Fees
Please visit our website for details.

ENTRY PROCESS
VenturePrize seminars are scheduled to start in the fall. All participants must complete the online registration form and agree to the terms and conditions of the competition.

For further program information, please see the website at http://www.ventureprize.com

• Guest Advisor Program Service
• Alberta Deal Generator
• CYBF Interactive Business Planner
• Calgary Innovation Centre (CIC)
• Prototype Development Program
• BDC Consulting
• Chinook Entrepreneur Challenge
• AFSC Commercial Loan Program
• Can You Make Money With Your Idea or Invention?
• Critical Assessment Factors for New Products

Alberta Contact:

Ms. Kendel Ferrier
VenturePrize Program Coordinator
TEC Edmonton
4000 TEC Centre
10230 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4P6
Telephone: 780-492-8857
Fax: 780-492-7876
Toll-free (information): 1-888-492-8977
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it